//------------------------------// // Celestine's Gone To Work // Story: Sombra Dislikes Crystals // by The Apologetic Pony //------------------------------// Sombra saw a brief streak of red outside the window as he woke up. Probably a bird. ‘Morning, Robyn.’ ‘Morning, Sombra. I was just going to make breakfast for myself, would you like some?’ ‘Uh-huh.’ Sombra looked at the pots and pans, feeling strangely lost, as if he didn’t know what to do when he wasn’t high-strung. He was quite confused by the idea. ‘Say, Robyn, do you know what you’d do if you thought someone was lying and you said you believed them, but they knew you didn’t really?’ ‘Sorry?’ Oh why did you ask her that? Probably because you’re exhausted of having nopony to talk to about things you don’t what to voice to your marefriend, that’s what. That would lead you to see Tinker again, yeah I know you don’t want to, but it would result in this not happening. ‘Luna’s been working really hard recently, and it’s showing, but she doesn’t want to talk about it.’ ‘As in royal duties?’ Gosh did you just lie to your mother? I think you did! ‘...Yeah.’ ‘I didn’t think she’d have many, but it sounds like something that’ll sort itself out.’ said Robyn, placing Sombra’s plate down. ‘You’re not in much of a position to ask for anything anyway, with what she’s done for us.’ ‘Mmm.’ Sombra gave monosyllabic responses for the rest of the conversation, trying to distance himself from the lie he’d told. And I’m trying not to tell any more. Eventually, he made an excuse of wanting to go for a walk, which worked. Although, I do want to, kind of, for a really dumb reason. It is a really dumb reason. Dumb reasons always involved distinctly harmless crystals. Once he got out of the house, taking a bag with him, Sombra immediately made his way towards the biggest park he knew, though there weren’t many of those in Canterlot. Can’t believe you’re even considering it! Hey why don’t you talk to yourself, since you’ve got nopony to talk to, apparently. Okay, if that’s what cutiemarks drive stallions to do. Some of the passersby noticed and then forgot how the dull haired unicorn staring at the ground had his brows scrunched. So you want to find some excuse to get away from her, to not kill her, because not even magic can kill a thousand leaps and bounds away. But to do that you need to prove that you could. So you do try and weaponize it, to prove it? That’s so dumb, but that’s what you’re doing anyway, because you’re under the whims of a quill, I guess. Sombra got to the park but hardly noticed, his final destination somewhere inside his head. ‘And she’s—oops.’ Sombra mumbled, realising his mouth was moving. And she’s gonna still refuse even when you do, I bet. Then maybe you talk to her, like a rational stallion, just maybe. There were few ponies at the park (workday, midday), so as long as he didn’t plonk himself right in front of some curious foal, he’d be just fine to practise. It was easier not to get sent a bill for erupting crystals out of the earth instead of a floor, of course. Young unicorns were notorious for causing property damage in public buildings, either accidentally or not. They were almost as notorious for gathering in the dark hours at parks just like these, so their magical hijinks could go mostly unnoticed. As a fine upstanding citizen of Equestria I’ll be just fine though. Yup. Sombra got to work. Several hours later, Luna gently opened her eyes, seeing her sister reading a book. ‘Hmm, what are you doing here?’ ‘I wanted to...’ Celestia yawned. ‘I wanted to talk to you, but you’ve kept me up for a while.’ ‘Got more than your nightly read in?’ ‘Forgive my curtness but I’d rather get to sleep five minutes from now, than fifteen minutes, Luna.’ ‘No I’m sorry Tia, I was speaking to you as if you were Sombra for a moment, and it’s late. Speak.’ Celestia put her book down. ‘I appreciate seeing Sombra hasn’t returned today, though I don’t think you encouraged him particularly, not that I mean that disrespectfully!’ ‘It’s not something you have to thank me for. He’ll come if he wants, and I thought he might today. Are you sure he didn’t come?’ ‘Nothing from the guards, unless you’ve taught him something that could get him past.’ Celestia smiled. Luna casually spread her wings, sat upright and said ‘Tia I know you want your beauty sleep but please be a little nicer to your sister.’ ‘Yeah whatever it was a joke.’ That got a laugh out of Luna; she was reminded of her coltfriend for an instant. Celestia carried on. ‘There is something else, but I had an idea just now, so just make sure to visit me tonight.’ ‘So secretive!’ ‘It might be one of the rare things that’d be better said in dreams, doesn’t that make you happy, Luna?’ ‘Yeah whatever.’ Celestia giggled. ‘Goodnight.’ said Celestia ‘Night.’ Right after Celestia left the room, Luna bit her lip at the idea of entering one of Celestia’s dreams. For reasons unknown, with only her sister, even a brief conversation meant an hour of sleeping herself, and Luna had something important tonight. Celestia hadn’t acknowledged it either. And so with that in mind Luna got to work. In her own bedroom, Celestia looked over the unusual report she’d asked for. It said how Sombra was reading a book with ‘Undefine Talent Syndrome’ in the title, and then she realised she’d have yet more to talk to her sister about. The princess burned the document after of course, like any good ruler would. As much as it seemed like spying, all she’d done was asked the guard what he’d seen, and it was to find what her sister was up to. What was she up to? With firm convictions Celestia got to work, by sleeping.